Thanksgiving Past
by gladsomemind
Summary: Prior to the series of conversations covered in "Alaskan Conversations", Morgan took Reid home for Thanksgiving. Rated for overcaution for later chapters!
1. Wednesday Morning

****OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds, or any of its associated characters, plots, scripts or episodes.****

AN: Goes with "Alaskan Conversations"

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><p><strong>Thanksgivings Past<strong>

Spencer always found this time of year depressing. November and December, with their bookends of Thanksgiving and New Years and the associated family get together never failed to bring home just how alone he was. The only family he was willing to claim was his mom and he couldn't face the thought of visiting Bennington. Oh they did their best to make it as cheerful as possible for the residents but he could never visit on the holidays without the truckload of guilt around how he institutionalised his mother to pursue his own selfish dreams.

What did he have to show for it? A job with the hated government, no family of his own, no friends he could count on and a drug addiction. Oh yes he'd really made a success of his life. No, visiting wasn't on the list of things to do this Thanksgiving. Thanks to Hankel he'd already died this year _and_ relived the fateful day he destroyed his own mother. How could he sit there and smile when he was so worthless?

Spencer wished he could say that the depression was only a side effect of coming off the drugs, his one success, but knew that this was just the annual revisiting of the guilt. Although this year he had to be careful not to let it drive him back to the oblivion of the dilaudid. Tobias had used it to take away the pain but this pain was deserved. Nothing he had done warranted the oblivion.

He was unsure what plans the rest of the team had for the long weekend. Gideon had bullied Hotch into letting everyone take all the time off, even bringing some pressure to bear on Strauss to sign off on it; so there wasn't even that respite from the season. If he was honest, Spencer wasn't certain that everyone being off was a good idea, given that the last time it had happened Elle was stabbed nearly died and ended up leaving the team.

The replacement of Elle with Emily wasn't easy. Spencer had known that Elle would be there to get his back; that she would have been there for him after his abduction. She was the one who'd treated him like he was more than just his speed reading and data retention skills. The rest of the team wouldn't admit to it but that was how it felt at times.

The knock on the door was early. Morgan had decreed the night before that he was going to pick Reid up, it was unlikely to be anyone else at seven in the morning. Spencer knew that he was going to get grief about where he was living before he opened the door.

"Reid you need to move to some place more secure." Morgan didn't disappoint, as he pushed through to the living area. "The front door was open again and I could just walk straight in. Then you just open the door without checking who it was first. What if I was some drug crazed psycho?" He stood there, clearly expecting an answer.

Reid sighed. "I like living here. The rent is cheap; the neighbours are nice; and if you'd turned out to be a 'drug crazed psycho', who by the way are all in bed asleep, I'd call for Mrs Klein to chase you away." He thought it was funny that Morgan was terrified of his octogenarian neighbour. "Why are you here this early anyway?" He changed the subject at Morgan's shudder.

"I've made a decision and you aren't going to spend Thanksgiving holed up in here reading." He'd already sized up a couple of piles of books. "You need to pack a bag because we are going to party like _you've_ never partied before. Go. Pack." He pushed Reid towards the bedroom before heading to the kitchen and starting to go through Reid's woefully empty fridge.

The offer of someplace to go, to escape the apartment and the problems in his life it encapsulated was too much. Three days at some beach resort would be a break, with no questions from everyone else who was there running away from their own demons. Reid could watch Morgan attract his usual bevy of beauties, then wait until he'd made his choice before looking for company for himself or retiring alone.

Used to packing quickly, repacking his go bag as soon as he got back from their latest case while half dead from the workload gave plenty of practice, it took less than five minutes to collect everything he would need.

Morgan hadn't wasted the little time he'd been gifted. Reid's fridge was emptied of the items that would perish while they were away. From the pile on the table it looked like only the condiments would be left!

"Bin liner?" Reid pointed towards a drawer at the question. "When you move you also need to stock your fridge better, no wonder you're so skinny if that's all you are eating. Take out doesn't make for a balanced diet."

"It does, however, make for an easy to grab meal when you arrive back from a case late at night. Look, just leave it alone." Exasperated by the renewed nagging about his diet, Reid pushed past Morgan to grab the bag; then quickly dumped the dated food into it before thrusting the bag into the other man's arms; if Morgan was that interested in the trash then _he _could take it out.

Grabbing his bag and keys Spencer moved to the door, he might be prepared to go along with Morgan's usurpation of his long weekend but he didn't have to stand around and be lectured as well. As Morgan was standing there he did use both of the locks on the door, including the one that Morgan had fitted while ranting about the neighbourhood, which got a small huff of approval from the other man. The front door to the building was standing open, as it usually did, which earned a raised eyebrow 'told you so' from the other man.

Trash dumped into the bin and bag stowed safely in the back of Morgan's SUV the two agents finally started on their way into the work.


	2. Wednesday Afternoon

"Which desk?" Emily was the designated driver for the team's exodus. She was going to be risking her sanity by spending the following day with her mother and was quietly praying to any deity that might be listening that there wasn't a prospective husband there as part of the event. Running her friends to the airport was a small thing but it put off going over that little longer.

"United." Morgan replied from the seat next to her, which he'd claimed by casually throwing JJ's purse into the backseat. "Chicago flight leaves in a couple of hours so we've got plenty of time."

"Chicago?" Reid practically squeaked from where he sat behind her but went without comment from the older agent.

"Are you sure you're OK to pick us up on Sunday? It's not that big a deal we can grab a cab back to the office to pick up my car."

Emily rolled her eyes. "If I had a problem with it I wouldn't have offered. Besides it gives me another excuse to get away from my mother."

"Why did you agree to go?" JJ asked, collecting her things together so she could switch to the front when they dropped the men off.

Emily considered how to explain the relationship with her mother in a way that would be understandable to the others. Bottom line was when the Ambassador told you that you weren't going to get out of the family dinner you gave in gracefully or not but you were there. "For a quiet life, which is odd when you consider there will be so many people there. I get to talk politics for a day, eat some fantastic food and hope that I get out of all but Christmas brunch. It will be fine, I just need to know that I've got an out if I need it."

She pulled up in front of the door next to the United sign. "Stop one, everyone out who's going to Chicago." All the doors apart from hers opened. There was a yelp from Morgan as he was smacked round the head with JJ's purse before she climbed into the front. At the bang on the trunk they pulled away waving at the guys as they went.

"So we go grab a coffee before coming back to drop you off?" Emily knew that JJ had at least another hour after the guys' flight to wait and didn't want to leave her newish friend kicking around an airport alone.

"Sounds like a plan." The smile she got from the other woman was worth the extra mileage and time.

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><p>They drove in silence for a few minutes before JJ broke the silence. "Is it just me or did it sound like Spence didn't know where they were going?"<p>

"I think it's sweet that Morgan is taking him home to meet his family. Maybe he'll admit that he's in love with Reid and move things along."

"What!" This time it was JJ's turn to squeak.

"Oh come on, you must have noticed. If anyone so much as talks to Reid then Morgan is lurking over his shoulder. He damn near growled at that redhead the other week! He's in love and marking his territory. Reid's just lucky he isn't getting... well let's just say that wouldn't be pleasant!"

"Morgan's protective he isn't in love!" JJ seemed to need to argue the point. Considering she was flying down to visit with that detective they'd met in New Orleans it couldn't be jealousy over either of the two men.

"It's more than that. I bet you, I don't know, ten bucks, that the next time we go out if someone so much as looks like they are about to hit on Reid that Morgan chases them off. Or," she held up a hand. "Gets one of us to do it for him."

She glanced over. "Come on, you've been told to go get him for a game of darts, taking him away from that college student."

JJ nearly huffed. "That girl was far too young for Reid!"

"She was about six months younger than him! And studying something at postgrad. So, pretty, smart and about the same age, what precisely was there to complain about?"

"If she was perfect for him why did he come away with me then?"

Emily was amazed that the other woman hadn't joined all the pieces together. "Reid has a _huge_ crush on Morgan! He came over and stood next to him for the rest of the evening, and Morgan took him home rather than picking up some meat at the bar."

JJ was quiet for the rest of the drive to the coffee place. "So why is it a crush on Reid's side but love on Morgan's?"

Emily shrugged. "Morgan's a player. Taking home a different woman every time we go out, and have you noticed that he only manages 'first' dates? Then with what came out earlier this year I think Reid's holding back so he doesn't get hurt. Morgan needs to step up and do something. Or he _will_ lose him. Because, as much as it pains me to say this and I cannot stress enough that I'm not interested, Reid is hot and a fantastic catch. Someone will snap him up."

"He's a lousy date though. We went out once and well it didn't go well."

"Oh yes?" Emily linked her arm through JJ's and pulled her towards the door. "You can tell me all about that while we drink our coffee."

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Chapter randomly dedicated to capricusp who wanted to know how Emily and JJ knew about Morgan...


	3. Wednesday Evening

"Come on pretty boy, what's the problem? You've barely said a word since we left the office." Derek handed Reid his bag then moved forward to pay the cab driver.

"We're in Chicago." The answer didn't make a lot of sense; of course they were in Chicago. Where else were they going to eat his Mom's cooking?

"Sure. It's Thanksgiving. We'll feed you up some, see if we can't get some meat on your…" He broke off as the door in front of him opened to reveal the shocked face of his mother.

"Derek? What are you doing here?" He was shocked at the tone of his Mom's voice before he realised that the call he was going to make to say he would be able to get away was interrupted by a case about a serial rapist. The call had never happened and now there were two extra people to cater for.

"Doctor Reid!" Derek was pushed to the side as the whirlwind that was his mother pushed past him to stop the other man from retreating further down the steps and running after the cab. "Derek didn't tell me he was bringing you but come in, come in. Let's get out of the cold. Did you eat on the plane or can I get you something? Of course I can, they never give you anything worth eating on those flights and that they charge is atrocious for what you get." Reid didn't look like he knew what to do with the woman dragging him into her house.

"I'll introduce you to everyone properly later. You remember Sarah don't you? Sarah can you make the introductions? Des I need a word with you and Derek in the kitchen. Now!"

Derek barely had the chance to register the room full of people before being hurried into the kitchen. As soon as the door closed on the other room he got his hug, first from Desiree and then from his Mom. There was just about time to relax into her arms and the feeling of homecoming before she pulled back to smack him round the head.

"What? They don't have telephones back East so you can ring to say you're coming? And bringing someone! If I'd known I'd have had Uncle Jack stay in a hotel, instead he's got the guest bed. Aunt Ellie and Jessica were going to have had your room. So now I've got to shuffle people about!"

"Momma if it's a problem we can always go stay at the Holiday Inn." Derek was starting to feel guilty for just showing up. This earned him another smack.

"Don't be silly. You boys can take your old room. Des, can you double up with Sarah for a couple of nights? I take it you two are staying through Sunday?" The last was thrown at Derek as his mom bustled about the kitchen pulling together a sandwich. Desi just stood there smiling and nodding; her grin saying that she knew something Derek didn't and intended to have fun tormenting him with it.

"That's fine Mom. I'm sorry I forgot to call. Don't go to any trouble now. It's been a long day so we'll probably just end up crashing." She still thrust a plate of sandwiches at him.

"Just take this through to… what do I call him? I can hardly call him Doctor Reid the entire weekend."

"Spencer will be fine. I doubt he'll lose if it you don't call him 'Doctor'."

Going back into the other room Reid looked over imploringly at Morgan as if he was desperately in need of rescue. Morgan found it adorable that his colleague, who had gone through so much this year, was frightened by his relatives. Served him right for siccing Mrs Klein on him.

"Come on pretty boy, let's get you some beauty sleep." None of Derek's relatives so much as blinked at the comment. Morgan might have wondered at their reaction if Reid looking sleepily up at him wasn't such a distraction.


	4. Wednesday Night

Spencer sat at the desk in Morgan's old room and surreptitiously watched the other man through a veil of hair. The extra layer from Morgan's old football jersey was slowly warming him up but the blankets on the bed still looked enticing. The problem lay in his future bed-mate.

"You don't have to eat it you know." The comment jerked Reid's head up and he swept his hair back so he could meet his colleague's eyes. "The sandwich, you don't have to eat it. She won't be upset and refuse to feed you for the rest of the weekend."

Reid dropped his gaze to the plate, allowing his hair to fall over his face again. Carefully placing the plate and its half-eaten contents on the desk he unwound himself from the chair and grabbed his washbag. "I'll just, well, teeth…" He escaped to the bathroom, hoping that Morgan would be in bed, asleep, by the time he returned.

The act of brushing his teeth was soothing; repetition of a mundane task serving to distract from the craving for the Dilaudid. Withdrawal had been hell, not something he wanted to do ever again, but this situation had him wanting something to calm himself down.

Why did they have to come to Chicago? Why not some beach resort somewhere? Somewhere where there were a lot of semi-naked women to distract Morgan from the fact that the person he was with really, _really_, wanted to fall into his arms and try to drive all other thoughts from his head other than how best to return the kiss.

Instead of being somewhere Reid could distract himself from Morgan's lack of interest with books, or cards, or even some ripped lifeguard, they were at Morgan's mother's; where he would be expected to at least try to be sociable. As soon as he found out they were coming here he should have backed out; taken a taxi home. It wasn't as if they were expected.

There was only so long he could spend in the bathroom without it looking like he was either hiding or shooting up. Contact lens, pee, teeth, washing his hands multiple times all bought some time but eventually he had to call it quits and return to the room.

The vision that greeted him was unfair and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was no benevolent god looking over Spencer. Morgan was sprawled across the middle of the bed snoring softly. There was no room for someone, even as scrawny as Spencer, to fit without touching the other man.

It was unfair. He would have been happy spending the long weekend alone reading. Instead he was faced with sharing a bed with his crush and the crush wasn't going to make life easy on him. Enough was enough, he didn't even care anymore. This was his one chance to touch Derek, his only chance to sleep in his arms and he was going to take it, consequences be damned.

Sliding into the bed was easy; finding a position to sleep in was harder. The first touch was the hardest. This was his friend; a man who it transpired had been abused by someone with power over him. Spencer might not have any real power over Derek but this unasked for, unknowing, contact fell into roughly the same area. He ran his hand lightly over Derek's chest, resting his head on the shoulder closest to him.

He'd just soak up the feeling for a minute; enough to form the sense memory then he'd move away, find a blanket in the closet and sleep on the floor. Spencer would have the memory and his friend would never need to know.

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><p>Fran knocked softly on Derek's door, hard enough to be heard but no so loud that she would wake the boys up if they were asleep. When there was no response she turned the handle and pushed the door open slowly, ready to retreat.<p>

The overhead light was still on, illuminating the couple in the bed. Both men were fast asleep wrapped in each other's arms. It was reassuring that Derek had found someone who would support him in his life and his career. When the horrors that had gone on under her nose came out she'd been heartbroken that she hadn't been there to protect him from it. The young man in his arms though opened her son up, bringing out a protective streak in him that supported rather than smothered his partner.

She picked her way over to the desk to replace the sandwich on its plate with the towels in her arms. Back at the door she took one last look at the couple in the bed before switching off the light and going back downstairs to finish the preparations for tomorrow.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Sorry for the delay. I will attempt to get this finished at least for Valentines!


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